American Solutions for Winning the Future (ASWF) is a 527 PAC group which describes itself as a "citizen action network" with the expressed goal "to create the next generation of solutions that will ensure that the United States remains the safest, freest, and most prosperous country in the world." The group claims to be "non-partisan" and is headed by former Republican speaker Newt Gingrich.[1]

The group has launched a petition promoting expanding oil and gas exploration in the U.S.

On its website, it states that the petition is to "petition the U.S. Congress to act immediately to lower gasoline prices (and diesel and other fuel prices)* by authorizing the exploration of proven energy reserves to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources from unstable countries".[2]

More recently, ASWF has been soliciting contributions for the purpose of derailing the Employee Free Choice Act which would allow company employees to form a union through a petition method in addition to the established method of an election through secret ballots.[3] The solicitations falsely imply that the "card" method supplants the secret ballots when it is an additional method.[citation needed]

Peabody funding and support for coal

As of July 1, 2008, Peabody Energy was the fourth largest contributor to ASWF, donating $275,000.[4]

ASWF's “Platform Of The American People” includes support for increasing coal use in the United States:[5]

To combat the rising cost of energy and reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, we support the United States using more of its own domestic energy resources, including the oil and coal it already has here in the U.S.

We believe the United States should increase its use of coal because it is a domestically available energy source, is less expensive than imported foreign oil, and new technologies have dramatically reduced emissions from burning coal, as well as making it much less harmful to the environment.

We believe that if research indicates we could build clean coal plants in the United States with no carbon emissions, it would be important to build such plants as rapidly as possible.

We believe in using United States domestic energy sources such as clean coal and oil, even if it means drilling off our coasts and in Alaska, as well as offering tax credits for American businesses that develop new energy sources.

Funding

In August 2010, Salon.com released their findings on who is funding Newt Gingrich's American Solutions. Salon found a significant chunk of the group's funding comes from oil and gas and coal companies, according to the its IRS filings. American Solutions has run national TV ads opposing cap-and-trade bills.[6]

According to Salon, American Solutions has taken in over $20 million as of the 2010 election cycle. Here are some of the group's biggest funders:[6]

American Electric Power: CEO Michael Morris of the Ohio-based power company gave $100,000 in 2009. Along with electricity, the company operates the nation's largest power transmission network, operating over much of the East Coast and Midwest.

Arch Coal: Based in St. Louis, Arch boasts it provides 16 percent of America's coal supply from 11 mining complexes around the country, making it the second largest coal producer in the country. It gave Gingrich $100,000.

Devon Energy: An Oklahoma-based oil and gas production company that gave American Solutions $250,000.

Workforce Fairness Institute: A Washington, D.C.-based anti-union pressure group that gave $150,000 to Gingrich's organization this cycle. Its website says it is "funded by and advocates on behalf of business owners who enjoy good working relationships with their employees, and would like to maintain those good relationships without the unfair interference of government bureaucrats, union organizers and special interests." Mark McKinnon, longtime GOP operative and Bush aide, has been a spokesman for the institute.